LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Manzanita Mayor says, “Well done all!”

The following is a Letter to the Editor submitted by Manzanita Mayor Gary Bullard, Oct. 20, 2016.

Manzanita Mayor Gary Bullard

The tornado that came ashore and ripped through Manzanita at 8:15 A.M. on Friday morning, October 14th served as a dramatic reminder that we live in a very special community.

Despite the humbling destruction there is still much for which to be grateful and proud. Miraculously, no one was killed or injured. There was quick response by individual citizens, city personnel, the Emergency Volunteer Corps, the Nehalem Bay Fire and Rescue, other communities, and the Tillamook People’s Utility District crews — all as one community stepped up to deal with the aftermath. The response of governmental leadership — our State Senator Betsy Johnson, State Representative Deborah Boone, County Commissioner Mark Labhart, our two U.S. Senators, our Member of Congress, the Governor’s office and others — was immediate, personal, and sincere: “How can we help?”

A very special thanks to Linda Kozlowski and the Emergency Volunteer Corps team is in order. Senator Johnson said it well: “It is providential that all of the communities, the tornado hit a community with a culture of preparedness.” Our community volunteers deserve our thanks for stepping up to help their neighbors. And to the Tillamook People’s Utility District and those special crews who worked days and nights to restore power in an amazingly short time, we give a special, heartfelt thanks.